Green Public Procurement (GPP) means that public authorities procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact. More responsible purchasing can influence the market towards the adoption of more sustainable practices, provide the industry with incentives for developing sustainable technologies and products and can stimulate the demand for more sustainable goods and services. By promoting and using GPP, sustainable consumption and production can thus be strengthened and the efforts towards a circular economy for plastics and less plastic pollution supported.

GPP policies and criteria can for example include the mandatory use of recycled plastics, can stimulate the purchase of reusable products and packaging or can support eco-labelling and similar environmental schemes, which guide consumers and help them to make purchase decisions based on environmental and social criteria.

‘Rethinking Plastics’ works on strengthening green procurement policies, processes and the cooperation between the EU and Japan and Singapore specifically.